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Fantasy Football Tips, Gameweek 17 – Goalkeeper and Defence

Looking at potential clean sheets and paying tribute to Everton's Seamus Coleman.

Seamus Coleman, one of our Fantasy Football tips for Gameweek 17
Coleman… Yours for just £6.1m (Image: Michael Kranewitter)

Hear ye, hear ye – it’s our goalkeeping and defensive Fantasy Football tips for Gameweek 17!

Our Fantasy Football tips may or may not work out for you – after all, only Mystic Megson knows what’s going to happen in this weekend’s Premier League fixtures – but, as educated guesses go, they’re as educated as they are guessed.

Oh, and we ought to point out that our Fantasy Football tips are based on the official Premier League version of the game, although the principles should apply more or less across the board.

Be sure also to consult our midfield and striker Fantasy Football Tips for Gameweek 17.

Right, on we go…

Fantasy Football Tips, Gameweek 17 – Goalkeeper and Defence

No goalkeeper or defender has scored more points this season than Everton right-back Seamus Coleman – in fact, his haul thus far is a full ten points ahead of second-placed teammate Phil Jagielka.

At £6.1m he is no longer cheap, but his goal in the Toffees’ 4-1 win over Fulham was his third of the season, reminding us that he has more strings to his bow than his mere presence in a side that’s kept the most clean sheets alongside West Ham United.

This weekend takes Everton to Swansea City, who don’t tend to give much away. We reckon this one could end up 0-0, so you might also like to consider a Swans defender, all £5m or under bar £5.3m Angel Rangel.

Crystal Palace have been nice and solid of late, not having conceded a goal in each of their last three home games and losing only narrowly at Chelsea on Saturday.

This weekend sees them welcoming high-flying Newcastle United to Selhurst Park, and it’s a test we can see Tony Pulis’s side rising to.

We’re going to put £4.2m centre-back Danny Gabbidon in our team in the hope of our hunch coming good, but you might also want to consider Joel Ward and Adrian Mariappa, both bargains at £4m, or £4.5m goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

The Magpies have themselves kept it tight, so this is another that could end up goalless – in which case, why not double your money with a Newcastle defender as well?

Goalkeeper Tim Krul remains a snip at £5.1m, while their most expensive defender is Davide Santon at just £5m, Mike Williamson being the most affordable current starter at £4.4m.

There seems to be at least one nil-nil a week, and they seem to be keeping a reasonably predictable pattern – there is also goalless potential this weekend in Stoke City v Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion v Hull City, so do consider defensive rotation if you’ve a free transfer to spare.

NOW: check out our midfield and strikers Fantasy Football tips for Gameweek 17!